Etan Vlessing wrote:The big-budget actioner, with a working title Bravo 14, has booked into Pinewood Toronto Studios for pre-production starting in February. The Fury director will then have the cameras rolling on the Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment feature from mid-April to September in and around Toronto.

Well, I think most people of course when they think of f****** Aquaman, they think of the traditional cartoon version, but the current version or incarnation is he's a badass king of the seven seas, a warlord to some degree. So I could see where they would get away with casting this dude.

[After looking at a phoot of Momoa and Aquaman side by side] Yeah I'll buy it. Will they blonde his hair, you think? It's awesome. Think about it dude, they used to make fun of Aquaman all the time. Aquaman, he only talks to f****** fishes. F****** say that to that dude's face.

Kim Masters wrote:This story first appeared in the May 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

When Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara took the stage at the annual CinemaCon gathering of theater owners April 21, he reiterated what has become the studio's mantra for the next five to seven years: Warners will build its slate around The Lego Movie sequels and offshoots, J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts trilogy and no fewer than 10 movies based on DC Comics characters through 2020.

With the March opening of Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice many months off (an ominous teaser trailer debuted to a mixed response April 17 and racked up 47 million YouTube views during its first week), it's obviously too early to know whether Warners can execute a series of interlocking tentpoles based in the DC universe. But with the stakes very high, Wall Street and Hollywood are asking: Can all the cooks in the studio's kitchen create films featuring Batman, Wonder Woman and even Aquaman and the Flash to rival the nearly $7 billion in global box office Disney's Marvel Studios has generated from nine films since 2008, including Iron Man, Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy? Plus, the May 1 release of Avengers: Age of Ultron is sure to bring in another $1 billion.

"Marvel has been an unbelievable platform for Disney to build and foster franchises," says BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield. "The question for Warners is, can they replicate that strategy using DC?" No one doubts the value of the DC intellectual property, but as analyst Michael Nathanson of MoffettNathanson observes, "It's all in the execution."

In the early going, some in Hollywood are questioning whether Warners has acted too much in haste without having fleshed out the world on which so much hinges. Grumbling among talent reps came especially in response to the studio's strategy of hiring five writers to compete for a job on Wonder Woman, which has a June 2017 release date. On Aquaman, set for 2018, sources say Warners commissioned scripts from three writers, one of whom followed the studio's direction only to be told the rules governing the universe had changed and his work no longer was usable. Another writer has been on hold for the film for months as the studio works to define its vision. "They just haven't been thorough about their whole world and how each character fits and how to get the most out of each writer's time by giving them direction," says a rep with knowledge of the process. "Obviously, Marvel's very good at that."

A Warners insider acknowledges that the studio's approach on Wonder Woman, set to star Gal Gadot (who will be introduced in Batman v. Superman), has been "unorthodox," but he says Warners is developing its own "filmmaker-driven" strategy in contrast with Marvel, which generally is ruled by producer Kevin Feige and which has hired such untested directors as Joss Whedon (The Avengers), Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier and two planned Avengers movies) and James Gunn (Guardians). Further, he says Warners has great confidence in its intellectual property, as do even those outsiders who have questioned the studio's actions.

In October, Warners trotted out Snyder, 49, and Batman v. Superman stars Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill at a dinner for analysts in New York before the company's investor-day conference. Snyder presented his vision for the film, and Nathanson says he found it "very impressive." The following day, Tsujihara laid out his plan that resembles the silo approach that has worked so well for Disney with its Marvel, Pixar and Disney Studios brands and with Star Wars movies to come from Lucasfilm.

But exactly who is in charge of the DC universe remains blurry. Snyder, now finishing Batman v. Superman, is a key player, along with his wife, Debbie. Also in the mix are producer Charles Roven and a team of Warners executives, including president of creative development and worldwide production Greg Silverman and executive vp Jon Berg as well as DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson and DC chief creative officer Geoff Johns. In addition, various filmmakers will over­see individual movies, with Fury director David Ayer said to be given broad creative control over next summer's hero team-up film Suicide Squad.

Without a single guiding force like the 41-year-old Feige, sources say Warners has leaned on Snyder to help play out the parameters for other DC movies. Snyder laid the groundwork for the new universe with 2013's Superman reboot Man of Steel ($668 million worldwide), produced with previous Batman director Christopher Nolan, who no longer is involved in any­thing DC-related beyond an executive producer credit on Batman v Superman. But Snyder has been busy with Batman v. Superman, which has a budget said to be well more than $200 million. "You can't just give it to a filmmaker," says a Marvel insider. "You have to give it to someone who has an institutional knowledge of these characters."

On Wonder Woman, Warners hired five writers not to work together but to compete. Each was given a treatment and asked to write a first act. Based on those efforts, the studio winnowed the number to two: Jason Fuchs (Pan) and another writer whose name the studio declines to reveal. A source not involved in the films but with close ties to the studio says the process on Wonder Woman "felt like they were throwing shit against the wall to see what stuck."

Before the five writers were brought aboard, sources say Roven asked Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey, Saving Mr. Banks) to work on the script, though a Warners insider says she was never officially hired. Sources say she decided not to proceed based on her concern about the number of players who were involved — particularly when Warners hired director Michelle MacLaren, whose vision contrasted sharply with Marcel's. MacLaren subsequently left the project and was replaced quickly by Patty Jenkins, who, ironically, had been dropped by Marvel on Thor: The Dark World after being heralded as the studio's first female director.

Warners has had several writers pen scripts for Aquaman, set to star Jason Momoa, who will feature in November 2017's Justice League movie. Those writers include Will Beall, Jeff Nichols and Kurt Johnstad, who now is on hold until the studio is ready to proceed. Warners' Silverman will say only that "we're on track to deliver a slate of films that will delight audiences everywhere thanks to the efforts of the many exceptionally talented people invested in the success of this universe." But Nathanson is prepared to wait and see how the films turn out. "Embedded in my earnings forecast [for Time Warner] is some estimate of success for DC, but I would say we're conservative in our outlook," he says. "I'm not giving anyone credit for a movie until we see the product."

Mike Fleming Jr wrote:EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros-owned DC Comics imprint Vertigo movie titles are going to come under the auspices of New Line Cinema, I’m told. Warner Bros has its hands full with Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman and all of the other tentpole pictures they are planning from DC titles, and so it would make sense for the Vertigo titles to be steered under Toby Emmerich and Richard Brener. The Vertigo titles are considered subversive compared to the WB-steered DC Comics titles with those venerable superheroes.

Matt Goldberg wrote:Pena also revealed that the movie would be set in the present day, and reiterated Shepard’s earlier statement that the film would be in the vein of Lethal Weapon. Specifically, don’t expect a comedy that’s barraging you with jokes:

It’s more like a Lethal Weapon where there’s a lot of action and what we wanted to do is if there’s any comedy that we do, it’s not like one-liners here and there, like we’re the guys always being stand-up comedians. It’s almost like you lose a little bit of the plotline whenever you’re off doing your own comedy thing, so we’re focusing a little more on the plot, if that makes any sense whatsoever.

Joseph Medina wrote:So will Superman ever get a second film? If John Schnepp (director of "The Death of Superman Lives") is to be trusted, then yes. What's more, Warner Bros. is looking to get George Miller to direct. You heard me... George Miller, director of the surprise hit "Mad Max: Fury Road" is up to direct a "Man of Steel" sequel.

Here's what Schnepp had to say on the latest DC Movie News show from Popcorn Talk (hat tip to Outer Places):

"George Miller, he's doing Man of Steel 2......Obviously Zack Snyder is doing Justice League 1 and 2, we already got James Wan doing Aquaman – Waterman I think they should change the title– but yeah I think George Miller is a perfect choice to do Man of Steel 2, he's going to bring so much to it."

Schnepp isn't usually one to break random pieces of news, so the fact that he's willing to say it on camera speaks to its credibility. Of course we don't know for sure how true this is, but seeing a George Miller-directed "Man of Steel" would be something to see. While the action in the first film was hard-hitting, Miller's seamless blend of CG and practical effects may help to give the film an added weight that was lacking in the first. What's more, if Miller has his hand in the script as well, he'll be one to keep the pace going, which is a personal problem I had with Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel."

With an already-crowded slate, it's a wonder just when they'd plan to fit this movie in. One of my main worries is the mainstream public getting so overwhelmed by these movies that by 2020, they won't want any more. We'll just have to wait and see.

Clark Allen wrote:Booster Gold and Blue Beetle, two DC comics superheros that have long been rumored to appear in either an upcoming film or TV show, are now being groomed for a team-up feature from Warner Bros. Sources exclusive to The Tracking Board can now confirm that Greg Berlanti, the force behind the successful DC comics TV series Arrow and The Flash, will be heavily involved with this one, set to direct and executive produce. Sarah Schechter will also executive produce, while Julia Spiro will oversee for the studio.

In a massively different approach from Warner’s current line-up, the film will team the two heroes together in what’s being pitched as a superhero buddy cop movie. Comedy is the emphasis here, which is a stark contrast to the other titles in DC’s Cinematic Universe, breaking the mold of the uber serious and grounded Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The Booster Gold/Blue Beetle team-up movie is only another in a long line of them from Warner, which is developing several crossover films for it’s DC characters, with Suicide Squad, Justice League, and Green Lantern Corps to name a few.

Consider Booster Gold the DC universe’s equivalent of Tony Stark, as he’s known for brandishing a similarly sized ego and even a trusty robot companion. Among DC readers, Booster is beloved for his snarky attitude, flashy nature, and reputation for being a showboat – in fact, the fan-favorite character even has corporate sponsors.

Booster Gold, AKA Michael Jon Carter, was a football hero and celebrity in the 25th Century who became publicly disgraced after he was caught gambling on his own games. With his reputation tarnished, Carter stole super-powered relics from the past and traveled back in time, with the plan to become a famous superhero. Though he began cocky, Booster eventually became a real hero.

Jamie Reyes is a teenager from El Paso, TX who, one night, fused with a piece of alien technology called the Scarab that was sent to Earth from an ancient cosmic race. The Scarab gives its host extraordinary powers and becomes a suit that equips the user with the ability to fly and a slew of other powers. The technology was sent under the guise of helping budding civilizations, but the Scarab’s true mission was to slowly overtake the host’s consciousness and take over the world. Due to damage from the journey, the technology and its powers fuse symbiotically with Reyes–with Reyes’ consciousness intact. Reyes then uses the suit to fight crime as the Blue Beetle.

Booster and Blue Beetle frequently partner up in the comics and are close allies, often pulled into more comedic shenanigans. The dynamic duo are also members of the Justice League and are being planted now to appear in a future JL movie down the road.

Both characters have long been targeted for a screen adaptation, almost getting their own individual shows. Blue Beetle was even prepped to take the place of Smallville after that series ended, with test VFX footage shot, but the series never came to fruition. Speaking of Smallville, the characters appeared for the first time on screen on the series in an episode entitled “Booster.”

The superhero duo were long thought to appear on either The Flash or DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, though Legends showrunner Phil Klemmer recently hinted that something bigger could be in the pipeline, which we now know is the feature.

Berlanti’s a huge player in Warner’s DC realm, having nabbed a story credit on both the upcoming Flash and Green Lantern films, not to mention that he’s also behind the forthcoming Supergirl series. Though Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow are separate from the films, Berlanti is credited with provoking a renewed interest in DC characters and is the ideal choice to shepherd Booster Gold. The multi-faceted director, producer, and writer is even a fan of the character, having scripted the pilot for a potential Booster Gold series that was once being targeted by Syfy.

Berlanti has an established relationship the studio, as his Berlanti Productions has an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV. He also made his feature directorial debut with the studio’s comedy Life As We Know It and is next set to helm the Chris Pine drama Replay.

DEVIN FARACI wrote:Sources at WB tell me that this is just one part of what's going on behind the scenes at the DC movieverse. Zack Snyder and Geoff Johns were taken aback at critical and audience reaction to Batman v Superman, I'm told, and WB execs have found themselves at odds with Snyder over his vision for Justice League and the DC movieverse going forward. Of course Justice League was scheduled to start shooting mere days after BvS was released, which meant WB couldn't take any definitive action - like removing Snyder or delaying the movie to make changes - without poisoning the box office for BvS. The result? Lots of fights between Snyder and the WB execs, and lots of pressure from Burbank on Snyder, who is shooting in London.

I'm not sure what the exact nature of the creative differences on The Flash are, but I'm being told that this may not be the only movie impacted by the aftermath of BvS. According to multiple, reliable sources James Wan is feeling a tremendous amount of trepidation about Aquaman. It's important to remember two things - Fast 7 was a very difficult process for him, even without Paul Walker's tragic death, and James Wan doesn't really need Aquaman. With The Conjuring 2 and Lights Out (which he produced), Wan will be owning WB's summer slate, bringing in a lot of money with movies that cost a fraction of Aquaman. Aquaman needs Wan, and right now Wan is trying to decide if he needs that hassle.

It will be interesting to see how things shake out. Wan has the upper hand on Aquaman, so maybe he'll be able to make that work in his favor. I keep hearing that it could be delayed in an attempt to get the film right, but who knows. Justice League is going to be Justice League, no matter how hard the studio rides Snyder. As for the rest of the slate - Suicide Squad, the weird side movie, looks like it's the hail mary pass for the DC Movieverse, at least until guaranteed winner The Batman gets here.

Justin Kroll wrote:The studio is declining to elaborate on the cliched “creative differences” joint statement that was issued when the two parted ways. But, according to multiple sources close to the project, the director’s vision for the movie was vastly different from the studio’s view. MacLaren envisioned the DC Comics-based “Wonder Woman” movie as an epic origin tale in the vein of “Braveheart,” whereas Warner wanted a more character-driven story that was less heavy on action.

Kristopher Tapley wrote:When I finally caved for a second viewing of Zack Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” I spotted only six or seven other people in the theater. Even following a dramatic 69% second weekend drop, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

This is “Batman v Superman,” a blockbuster event meant to jump start an entire cinematic universe, yet in its 13th day of release, the superhero pic only mustered $2.8 million, a number that couldn’t even match Marvel’s “Ant-Man” ($3 million), Snyder’s previous foray “Man of Steel” ($4 million) or even Tim Burton’s 1989 introduction to “Batman” ($4.36 million). It was a heavily front-loaded release, to be sure: a $166 million opening was a rallying cry for proponents in the face of countless critical pans. But at this point, hitting the magic $1 billion figure in worldwide grosses seems to be out of reach.

If all the recent release date shuffling and rumored restructuring of the Warner Bros. status quo didn’t make it clear, those numbers certainly should: They’re close to hitting the panic button in Burbank this week.

Reports suggest an ongoing culture shift at the studio, with fewer original titles being greenlit as WB doubles down on franchise generators like DC Comics, Lego and Harry Potter. Certainly there’s a fever, what with Disney printing money from the “Star Wars” and Marvel hit parade. But the hot seat is getting hotter, as this is the year Warner chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara’s chickens come home to roost.

Tsujihara got the gig in January of 2013 and immediately, plans were set in motion to catch up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Snyder took the reins on a “Man of Steel” follow-up, announced at Comic-Con that year as an apparent take on the 1986 Frank Miller classic “The Dark Knight Returns.” On stage at the San Diego Convention Center, the director brought out “Man of Steel” star Harry Lennix to read a passage from the Miller story, the lights dimmed and the familiar Batman/Superman logo hit the screen, sending 6,000 screaming fans into ecstasy.

Affleck was cast in August that year, and soon enough, he brought on Oscar-winning “Argo” scribe Chris Terrio to help turn the project into a thoughtful exploration of the comic book ethos. That was going to be crucial, given that Snyder is obsessed with iconography, a visualist more than a storyteller. Inevitably, though, the film became more of a corporate vision. It was given an utterly ridiculous title that bent over backwards to cram in three keywords — Batman, Superman and Justice (League) — and mandates were put forth to lay the groundwork. But underneath the promotional noise, a real attempt was being made to dabble in DC’s philosophical bedrock and deconstruct the tendencies of comic book cinema.

“In the way that ‘Deadpool’ took the piss out of the genre, and therefore was post-modern in the way it said, ‘Look at the conventions of this,’ this was a minor key version of that,” a source told me.

Nevertheless, we’re left with a movie in which a central character literally sits down to watch trailers for three other movies. “Batman v Superman” is bursting at the seams, desperate to make up the ground DC has lost to Marvel over the past seven years. You can almost picture the boardroom meeting: “We need our Avengers now.”

Ironically, the studio’s franchise potential was stalled by the very filmmaker who ignited interest in this new era of comic book movies over a decade ago: Christopher Nolan. Nolan was adamant for years that his Batman not exist in any shared universe with other characters from the DC canon. “It was like, ‘Thank you very much, we’ll take it from here,'” a source says. “He would just do it, and deliver.”

Indeed, Nolan’s “Dark Knight” franchise churned out roughly $2.5 billion in worldwide box office receipts. No one was complaining. But having a key character be hijacked for so long tied WB’s hands when it came to the fast-approaching new paradigm. “The Dark Knight” hit theaters in 2008, the same year as “Iron Man” (which kicked off Marvel’s trajectory). It would be three more years before Nolan would finally conclude his trilogy.

In truth, the studio had a 40-year head start on Marvel. DC has been under the Warner banner ever since being folded into Warner Communications way back in 1969 (when it was still known as National Periodical Publications). Nobody quite saw this brave new world of grossly conglomerated media coming, but with a stronger vision, Warners could have been way out ahead of the game.

And that’s what seems to be missing: overriding vision. Warner Bros. strives to be a filmmaker-friendly studio that would like to make an artist-centered model work, and at least conceptually, that’s commendable. But when you’re dealing with something as ungainly as an entire comic book universe, a certain amount of oversight — artistically invested, not corporate — feels only necessary. So the big problem, as far as I see it, remains this lack of a central node, someone akin to Marvel’s Kevin Feige who is intimately attuned to the source material, drawing the various strings together.

For a period, WB was keen on Geoff Johns for such a role. But that’s a tall order for DC’s Chief Creative Officer, who is already stretched very thin. While he is currently writing the upcoming stand-alone Batman film with Ben Affleck, he also wears a number of other hats. “Geoff is really smart, but he’s got like 10 different jobs,” a source says. “He’s writing comic books, controlling DC, writes on [TV’s] ‘The Flash’ — I would imagine Feige’s is a full-time job just managing this stuff. So I don’t know how you ask Geoff, in the best of both worlds, to do that.”

Snyder, therefore, has been making the bulk of the creative decisions. And he has provided the fans with a lot of the imagery they want to see, from a vibrant vision of Superman’s home world borrowed from John Byrne’s “The World of Krypton” to the iconic cover of Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns” No. 1 (blink and you miss it). The new film even manages to pack in moments from story arcs such as “The Death of Superman” and “Funeral for a Friend.” But as skilled as Snyder is at capturing a striking frame, he just isn’t the guy to pull all of this narrative complexity together.

I’m told production exec Jon Berg and and Time-Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes are taking more of a hands-on approach now, paying closer attention to overarching story concerns, but someone well-versed in both production and DC’s minutiae is what’s needed. Greg Silverman, head of film production at WB, may have too much on his plate, same with DC Entertainment boss Diane Nelson, who also oversees their core publishing business. Meanwhile, the competition has production company Marvel Studios — with a creative driving force at the top — and DC, surprisingly, doesn’t have an analog.

As for “Batman v Superman,” those involved weren’t prepared for the critical knives the film received, but they always knew it was going to be a transitional film, bridging the gap between “Man of Steel” (which was produced with no plan in place to expand the universe) and anything approaching the Avengers/Super Friends mold. But I’m told “Justice League” will be a crowdpleaser more suited to Snyder’s talents, and that the upcoming two-part event is “extremely kinetic and visual.” It will be far more straightforward than existential in its handling of superheroes.

So maybe the bounce-back will be considerable when it finally hits screens in November of next year. Either way, with production scheduled to start next week in London, the pressure is officially on.

Dominic Patten wrote:In his new gig, the ex-Nickelodeon Animation exec will now handle and review creative content for all DC media that are in production with WB, including TV, film, animation and games. Evan’s focus is to ensure that the use of the DC characters and their stories stay true to the core values of the franchises, the company says.

The Burbank-based studio is making changes to the way it handles its DC Entertainment-centered films, giving oversight of the feature projects to a pair of executives and creating a dedicated division for the films. Current executive vp Jon Berg and Geoff Johns, DC's chief content officer who successfully launched the comics label's foray into television, will co-run the newly created DC Films, according to multiple sources.

This move is part of a broader refinement of executive roles at Warners, which has suffered a disappointing run of movies and has vexed producers and filmmakers, some of whom complain about a murky greenlight process.

Now, instead of a broad range of movies to oversee, executives will be charged with managing “genre streams" while reporting to Warner Bros. Pictures president Greg Silverman. In many cases, these streams formalize interests and specialties for specific executives. Courtenay Valenti, for example, will now oversee all Lego projects as well as the Harry Potter line that begins with November's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Senior production execs Jesse Ehrman and Niija Kuykendall will focus more on comedy/family and sci-fi/action, respectively, according to sources.

Further executive changes are anticipated, including a potential hire at the senior level.

Berg was already working on BvS, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman and Justice League. He also is a conduit to Ben Affleck, having worked with the actor-filmmaker on Argo and Live by Night, the crime thriller Affleck recently wrapped as director, writer and star for the studio.

Comics writer-turned-exec Johns, meanwhile, was key in working with showrunner Greg Berlanti on the ascension of superhero shows such as Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl and is the writer behind DC's upcoming Rebirth, the publishing side's reboot of its titles that will play out over the summer months. He is not leaving DC, according to sources, but adding film to his portfolio.Johns will still report to DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson, while Berg will report to Silverman.

With Berg and Johns, Warner Bros. is attempting to unify the disparate elements of the DC movies with a seasoned film exec and a comics veteran that together hopefully can emulate the way Marvel Studios has produced its films under the vision of president Kevin Feige. But sources also say Warners still wants to remain a filmmaker-driven studio. As part of their new jobs, Berg and Johns will become producers on the Justice League movies.

The muted reception of BvS, from a box-office and critical point of view, is the flashpoint for the changes. The studio had high hopes for the movie, which pitted its top heroes against each other. The door was opened for director Zack Snyder to be involved in shaping the look and content of the entire DC line, which is scheduled through 2020. But critics and fans ripped into the first pic and especially Snyder for perceived missteps, including its heroes' unheroic behavior and the dark tone. BvS, which cost at least $300 million to make, has grossed less than $870 million worldwide since its March 25 release. Warners has said the film will be profitable but it was hardly the home run the studio had wanted.

In stark contrast, Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War is heading towards $1 billion in less than two weeks of release. The movie also pitted heroes against each other, but Marvel's lighter tone and bright colors (while tackling more serious themes) are clearly resonating with audiences. So Warners is attempting a course correction.

The shuffle, as well as Berg and Johns' new positions, come as other changes are being implemented on the DC movies. For example, Affleck was recently made executive producer on Justice League, upping his creative involvement when it comes to all things Batman and perhaps beyond.

Warner Bros. parted ways with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith, who was to have made his directorial debut with The Flash. In another example of post-BvS fallout, the studio didn’t feel confident in a first-time helmer and is now looking for a more seasoned filmmaker who can not only handle a large $150 million-plus movie but who can also have an authoritative stamp.And the studio is working to smooth out the third act of Suicide Squad, its big August movie from director David Ayer that could change the perception of its DC line. The pic’s trailers have generated massive positive interest in the all-star actioner that features DC villains, and the studio wants to make sure audiences’ expectations are not only met but exceeded.

Suicide Squad recently went under major additional photography (multiple sources say it was not to add humor) to clear up the issues. Sources say it was Suicide Squad that escalated Johns’ involvement in DC movies (he was already co-writing the next Batman standalone with Affleck) and he is involved in the film’s post-production.

Borys Kit wrote:Charles Roven, the veteran producer who has worked on every DC Comics movie at Warner Bros. since 2005’s Batman Begins, is no longer producing certain DC movies, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

Talks are underway to have Roven — who was a producer on Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as the recently completed Suicide Squad, next year's Wonder Woman and Justice League — segue to a different role going forward, likely that of an executive producer who is not involved in day-to-day production. However, he potentially could continue to be a producer on some sequels to the movies he's currently producing.

The extent of Roven's involvement, and which titles he would work on, is "evolving," according to multiple sources, who also stress that no final decisions have been made.

"Roven is a key member of not only the DC slate but of the Warner Bros. family," says a studio spokesman.

The move comes as Warner Bros. continues to scrutinize its DC movies in the wake of BvS’s so-so performance at the box office and chilly reception from audiences. The movie, released March 25, wrapped its run with $871 million worldwide with a production budget of at least $300 million. While Warners insists the pic will be profitable, it was meant to kick off the studio’s DC cinematic universe with a billion-dollar bang, but instead was met with an unenthusiastic response from fans for being too dark and unheroic.

In stark contrast, Marvel Studios, well into its cinematic universe with 13 movies, has seen outsized success for its similarly themed Captain America: Civil War, which pits its heroes against each other. Civil War has earned raves from fans and critics alike and has grossed more than $1 billion in about three weeks.

Warner Bros., which leverages its DC IP across multiple channels, among them publishing and video games, now is taking steps to course-correct its approach as it develops its superhero slate. It recently shuffled its executive ranks to have executive vp Jon Berg and Geoff Johns, DC's chief content officer, co-run the newly created DC Films. It also is seeking to hire a more established director for The Flash, set for 2018, after parting ways with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith, who initially was attached to make his directorial debut with the project.

Roven, an experienced producer whose career dates back to the 1980s, has a producer credit on the three Batman movies directed by Christopher Nolan and 2013’s Man of Steel. He also is a producer on Suicide Squad, which Warners hopes will re-energize its DC movies when it opens in August; Wonder Woman, which is set to be released in June 2017; and Justice League, scheduled for November 2017.

Roven has established himself as a savvy player who knows how to manage the armies it takes to make modern, big-budget, visual effects-heavy tentpoles. But he was part of the unofficial brain trust with Snyder on the DC movies, an approach Warners seems to be rethinking in the wake of BvS's less than stellar performance.

One reason for the shift in thinking is that Warner Bros. wants to ramp up the number of DC productions, and sources say it would be physically impossible for one man to handle pre-, post- and production on multiple movies in locations ranging from Australia to Los Angeles to Louisiana to London.

Roven was slated to be a producer on The Flash and Aquaman, two DC films that have yet to go into production and could end up shooting on opposite ends of the planet. Sources tell THR he will no longer serve in that capacity on those films.

Roven remains on set for Justice League: Part 1, currently shooting in London, although Warners now has sent Berg to also oversee the day-to-day production of that movie.

Claire Atkinson wrote:Warner Bros. just shook things up at DC Comics, and On the Money hears wider management changes are being considered and could come in the next six months because of the company’s dry spell.

Warner, under CEO Kevin Tsujihara, has struggled so far this year with the “Batman v Superman” movie, starring Ben Affleck and Amy Adams, receiving a poor reception even while booking a respectable $348.7 million domestically and $870 million globally.

The movie was set to kick off DC Comics’ resurgence — but that duty will likely now fall to “Suicide Squad” later this summer.

What the rumored changes could mean is anyone’s guess, although speculation has long hung over the heads of production chief Greg Silverman, who just re-upped in January, and Sue Kroll, president of worldwide marketing and distribution.

It’s been quite a week in Tinseltown, with Sony “transitioning” Columbia Motion Picture Group President Doug Belgrad into a producer deal and parting ways with the popular Sony Pictures TV chief Steve Mosko. Mosko, we hear, has already received approaches, but will take his time figuring out what’s next.

Borys Kit wrote:Sue Kroll, president of worldwide marketing and distribution for Warner Bros., has signed a new multiyear contract with the studio.

The move extends one of the longest executives tenures in Hollywood. Kroll, a 22-year veteran at the Burbank-based studio, last expanded her portfolio in July 2015, adding domestic distribution to her duties as head of worldwide marketing and international distribution. Since June 2013, she has been part of the triumvirate of executives, along with worldwide production president Greg Silverman and New Line president Toby Emmerich, running the studio.

While Warner Bros. has gone through a rough patch at the box office, Kroll's contract extension — coming in the wake of the rollout of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which has grossed $873 million worldwide — is seen as a vote of confidence on the part of Kevin Tsujihara, Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO, who has stood by the team. (Silverman's contract was extended in January.)

During her tenure at Warners, Kroll has turned such endeavors as the Dark Knight trilogy and the Harry Potter movies into billion-dollar franchises, the latter of which the studio hopes to extend with the J.K. Rowling-penned spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is set to hit theaters in November.

Warner Bros., which currently ranks third among the major studios in terms of its share of the domestic box office, has an upcoming 2016 lineup that includes The Conjuring 2, set to open Friday; The Legend of Tarzan; its newest DC Comics-derived entry, Suicide Squad; and the year-end offering Collateral Beauty, starring Will Smith.

Devin Faraci wrote:I am allowing myself to feel hope about the DC movieverse, post-Suicide Squad. I hated the film much less than others, but I think everyone can agree that WB stepping in to do stuff like remove mentions of Slipknot being a serial rapist is, at the very least, a move in the right direction. Now with Geoff Johns - a guy who I think gets Superman - in charge maybe something good can finally come of the latest big screen incarnation of the Man of Steel.

“A year ago we heard George Miller was in the frame to direct Man of Steel 2. I still think that’s a possibility but a little birdy told me he’s possibly going to be doing the New Gods, even though that’s not even announced yet. I don’t know where it’s coming from – if my birdy is insane – who knows, maybe it came from a Mother Box and it’s just in another world now.”

Peter Sciretta wrote:Following the volatile fan and critical response to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (and Suicide Squad), Johns and Berg have been working to make the upcoming DC movies more hopeful. Johns admits to The Wall Street Journal that Warner Bros was not approaching the characters and franchises like the comics, which was a problem:

“Mistakenly in the past I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different.’ That couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop.”

The comic writer turned movie executive later adds: “We’re trying to take a really hard look at everything to make sure we stay true to the characters and tell stories that celebrate them.”

The duo told the paper that while Justice League was already intended to be less depressing than Batman v Superman, they worked with Zack Snyder and screenwriter Chris Terrio to make changes after Batman v Superman received such a venomous response from fans and critics: “We accelerated the story to get to the hope and optimism a little faster,” said Mr. Berg.

The article also reveals that Justice League will “directly address Batman’s extreme actions in the last movie, such as torturing criminals and nearly killing the man of steel, rather than accept them as par for the course. And it’s expected to have fewer of Mr. Snyder’s controversial flourishes, like the dream sequences in Batman v Superman, in favor of focusing more tightly on the plot.”

Neil Turitz wrote:Another day, another director leaves one of the Warner Bros.’ DCEU movies. This time, it’s Rick Famuyiwa walking away from The Flash solo flick, making him the second director to do so, after the movie’s original screenwriter, Seth Grahame-Smith, did the same earlier this year. This, after Emmy winner Michelle MacLaren departed from the Wonder Woman movie in 2015. All of these moves happened due to, let’s say it all together now, “creative differences.” Which leads me to one, very serious, very obvious question.

What on earth is going on over there at Warner Bros.?

I mean, I know that they’ve been playing catch up to Marvel for the better part of a decade, and there’s a lot of internal insecurity and issues of self-worth and inadequacy because of it, but that doesn’t excuse some of the actions, decisions and, well, chaos that have been coming out of the Warner executive suites. It is, however, something of a surprise to learn that, despite the personnel problems plaguing some of its biggest and most important movies, nobody over there appears to be spending a lot of time hovering over the panic button.

I know someone who is familiar with the inner workings of the DC world, and he and I talk on occasion, especially when I have some particular thoughts on items like how awful Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was and how, somehow, Suicide Squad was even worse, and he usually finds this amusing and humors me and my particular brand of bratty, entitled whining about what I, as a connoisseur of all things superhero related, deserve as a consumer. But when I called him this week to ask him about this Flash thing and what the devil is going on over there, his response was a tad different.

“Sorry,” he said. “We were too busy laughing about all the money we made on Suicide Squad to worry too much about this latest turn of events with a movie that isn’t as high on our list of important projects. I mean, it’s not like it’s Aquaman.”

I thought he was kidding about that last part, but as we talked, I realized he was being dead serious, and for the first time, I was given an inside look at how the sausage gets made over there. For starters, they actually did make a heck ton of money on Suicide Squad, which did wonders for the company’s third quarter numbers. I don’t blame you for being surprised, because my eyes actually popped about that tidbit, too. There was a bunch of other stuff that surprised me, as well, so hang onto your hat. It’s about to get real all up in here.

First and foremost, let’s go over some things I think we all already knew. Like the fact that everybody panicked over there after BvS didn’t do the business they were hoping it would do and it got killed by critics and fans alike. That led to the promoting of Geoff Johns and Jon Berg to oversee the DCEU, as well as the hiring of Ben Affleck to executive produce and, essentially, babysit Zack Snyder on the set of the two-part Justice League movie they just finished shooting in England.

Now some of the stuff you might not have known. Johns was hired more for street cred than anything else, taking advantage of his status as a superstar comic book writer. Berg — who oversaw the Christopher Nolan Batman movies which, if you might recall, were slightly successful — is viewed as a brilliant guy in-house and is really the one everyone trusts to make the whole thing go the way it should. The mid-stream course correction is only unfortunate because it’s happening in public, but people are actually feeling good about things there in Burbank for the first time in a while.

Why? Because, apparently, Justice League looks dynamite. Totally different from anything Snyder has done before and, in fact, reasonably coherent as a movie. It’s a welcome change from a director who is not universally loved within the company, where many see him as, and again, I’m paraphrasing, a guy who got lucky with a popcorn movie on a couple weekends in March of 2007 and hasn’t made a single good film since. Everything he touches turns to dust (seriously, go watch Sucker Punch again, I dare you), and yet, the powers that be thought it was a good idea to give him the keys to the car, which he then just about drove into a bridge embankment.

Additionally, everybody is really excited about Wonder Woman, which looks amazing and is in good hands with Patty Jenkins, the director chosen to replace MacLaren, who was apparently in way over her head and not prepared to make the movie the company wanted her to make. So, they went with Jenkins who, you might recall, left Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World over something known as “creative differences.”

(Also, and this is important, these types of things are not isolated to Warner Bros. and the DC movies, as you might recall that Marvel also cut ties with Edgar Wright over Ant-Man after he’d been working on it for years, and Fox and Tim Miller just recently parted ways over the Deadpool sequel when he couldn’t agree on certain casting and story issues with star Ryan Reynolds and the writing team of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and now the first film’s composer, Tom Holkenborg has split, too, in solidarity with his director. Additionally, there’s the revolving door of directors on Channing Tatum’s Gambit flick that might never even happen, the series of directors who attached themselves, then detached themselves from Bruce Willis’ Death Wish remake before Eli Roth finally agreed to do it, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt walking away from the Sandman movie he had spent years developing for something else I have heard referred to as “creative differences.” These things happen, and they happen all the time, it just seems like they happen more often with Warner Bros.’ DC Comics movies.)

On top of all that, and with all due respect and apologies, it’s not like Rick Famuyiwa or Seth Grahame-Smith is James Wan. If Wan, whose movies have grossed over $2.5 billion worldwide, walked away from Aquaman, then there would be panic in the aisles and a good, old-fashioned, all around freakout. He’s the heavyweight filmmaker the company needs for industry Punky Power, and the buzz about star Jason Momoa is so good, there is already some consideration to rotate The Flash out of its March 2018 release slot and move Aquaman up from that July to take its place. Wonder Woman and Justice League both need to work, or else, unlike The Flash, which doesn’t carry the same weight and is, by the way, already huge on television. Aquaman is seen as a groundbreaker and keenly important as well and has everyone in something of a tizzy.

Which means that Warner is actually feeling pretty good about all of this and isn’t terribly worked up about what the press or the fanboys or anyone else is saying, because they know more than you do and are perfectly happy to let the chips fall where they may, and whoever doesn’t like it can go ahead and lump it.

Now, that is all well and good, but it doesn’t change the fact that the company didn’t really dig in for the proper due diligence on any of the three directors it’s lost over the last year and a half. The fact that they weren’t a good fit — Grahame-Smith is the biggest thinker, seeing as how he wrote the screenplay and was going to make his directorial debut on what would be a tentpole with a budget well into the nine figures — probably should have been decided before any of them were hired in the first place. That it wasn’t, and that it has happened repeatedly, should be a cause for concern, because there’s no denying that they look a little silly because of it.

The kick of it, though, is that there is concern. Lots of it. It’s just not coming from Warner Bros.

Brent Lang wrote:“Wonder Woman,” the comic-book global juggernaut about the do-gooding warrior princess, has lifted spirits around the Warner Bros. lot and reenergized the struggling DC Comics cinematic universe, which many critics and fanboys had written off. “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad” may have grossed a combined $1.6 billion globally, but the consensus was they were dark, dour and creatively inert. “Wonder Woman,” with its message of female empowerment, has been a panacea, earning some of the year’s best reviews and inspiring a wave of internet memes.

“It’s a huge turnaround for [DC],” says Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations. “There’s been so much hate spewed at them that people were wondering if they had it in them to make a film that people actually liked.”

The success of “Wonder Woman” comes as the movie studio is in the first months of a leadership shakeup that elevated Toby Emmerich to the position of president and chief content officer and led to the ouster of production chief Greg Silverman. As one of his first priorities after taking the job in December, Emmerich has spent much of his time immersing himself in the world of DC Comics, in an effort to help the unit better compete with its highly successful rival, Disney’s Marvel.

His learning curve has been steep.

“I don’t speak comic,” Emmerich acknowledges in his first sit-down interview since assuming his new role, a week after “Wonder Woman” took the box office by storm. “I do feel like I speak motion pictures. I speak for an audience. I look and ask, ‘How does this work for a general audience?’”

The DC team says Emmerich’s lack of comic-book knowledge isn’t an issue.

“He understands that when wea’re talking about the characters, we’re not just talking about what their powers are,” says DC Entertainment president and chief creative officer Geoff Johns. “We’re talking about who they are as people.”

Emmerich may struggle with the difference between the Dark Knight and Darkseid, but comic-book movies aren’t the reason the exec is now leading the studio’s film arm. He established himself as one of the industry’s most widely respected creative executives during an eight-year stint running Warner’s New Line Cinema. There, he primarily churned out modestly budgeted comedies and horror films, such as “We’re the Millers” and “Annabelle,” which often proved enormously profitable. Though New Line made a few pricey films — some of which worked (“San Andreas”), others that didn’t (“Jack the Giant Slayer”) — that wasn’t really Emmerich’s modus operandi. He had deep relationships with the creative community and an ability to rein in costs that made him attractive to corporate higher-ups.

“Toby came into this role having successfully run a movie studio that produced every genre, from billion-dollar franchise titles to microbudget horror films,” Warner Bros. Entertainment chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara says. “He’s extremely talented, well-respected and has a vision for Warner Bros. Pictures’ future, as well as a plan on how to execute on that vision.”

Emmerich’s success at finding the next big franchises will determine whether or not his tenure at the studio is a long and happy one. Warner Bros. was once the titan of Hollywood, boasting the likes of “The Lord of the Rings,” “Harry Potter” and “The Dark Knight.” Those series have reached their conclusions, and in the intervening years the studio has struggled to find new ones. The many tens of millions spent and lost by Warner Bros. on “Pan,” “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and this summer’s “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” show just how difficult it can be to develop fresh hits. In the interim, Disney, with its arsenal of “Star Wars” and “Avengers” adventures, has established itself as the dominant brand in movies.

“Warners has had an uneven record,” says Matthew Harrigan, an analyst with Wunderlich Securities. “Aspirationally, they want to be the envy of all the other studios, but the implementation has been uneven. If you look at ‘Suicide Squad’ or ‘Batman v Superman,’ it’s embarrassing how bad the critical fallout was.”

Sitting in a garden patio at Warner Bros.’ Burbank headquarters and later, after the air grows crisp, in a conference room adorned with posters of studio triumphs such as “Wonder Woman” and blunders like “King Arthur,” Emmerich is eager to give the credit for the latest windfall to Johns and Jon Berg, the executives who oversee the comic-book films. He stresses that the success of “Wonder Woman” is more their doing, saying the film was deep into post-production when he took over at the studio. He believes the movie feels fresh because the “heart and humor” that director Patty Jenkins injected into the picture was a break from the downbeat superhero films that have been hitting multiplexes. “The zeitgeist of the culture, in America and many parts of the world, were ready to embrace a female superhero,” Emmerich says.

It’s too soon to credit “Wonder Woman” with shattering Hollywood’s glass ceiling for female directors, but the film did prove that there is an appetite for action films about strong women.

“I know that our competitors are going to look at the success of this movie,” he says. “People love to call Hollywood lemmings, and it’s not always unfair. I’m sure that plenty of producers and writers and studio executives are asking, ‘What the heck happened with “Wonder Woman,” and how do we get in on that action?’”

In the meantime, DC is plunging ahead with two more female-focused projects, “Gotham City Sirens,” in which Margot Robbie will reprise her “Suicide Squad” role as the demented Harley Quinn, and Joss Whedon’s “Batgirl,” which the “Avengers” writer and director urged the studio to make. There will also be more Diana Prince. Emmerich says that Jenkins is already working on a “Wonder Woman” sequel. It won’t take place in World War I, as the first film did, but it will also likely be set in the past.

“It will take place somewhere between 1917 and 2017,” Emmerich says coyly.

He’s also thinking of ways that DC can differentiate itself from Marvel projects, which tend to be family-friendly. Emmerich says he admires violent, irreverent and very adult comic-book movies such as “Logan” and “Deadpool.”

“I would be surprised if we didn’t at some point make an R-rated DC movie,” says Emmerich.

Emmerich, who prefers cardigans to power suits, isn’t the typical Hollywood executive. Perhaps it’s his upbringing: His father, Andre Emmerich, was an influential art dealer; his mother, Constance Marantz, is a concert pianist; and brother Noah has a key role as an FBI agent on “The Americans.” Emmerich comes off as more cerebral and composed than the typically flashy and hard-charging studio chief. He’s devoted to his wife and two children and tries to cook dinner and breakfast for the family on the weekends.

“Aquaman” and “The Conjuring” director James Wan says Emmerich preaches the gospel of self-improvement to friends. He convinced the filmmaker that taking cold showers has salutary benefits.

“It’s easier to partake of in the summer than the winter, but it does pep me up and keeps me going through the day,” Wan says.

Unlike other Hollywood players, Emmerich speaks at a lower decibel level, referencing film classes he took as a student at Wesleyan University, where he was a contemporary of Whedon and Michael Bay.

“He’s a strong presence,” says producer Chris Bender, who has worked with Emmerich on the likes of “We’re the Millers” and “Vacation.” “We’ve been in the trenches many times. Sometimes you’re in the test-screening phase and your movie’s getting a good score or a bad score, but he’s always had a nice, calming effect even when the situation’s tough.”

To unwind, Emmerich reads, meditates, does yoga and Pilates and plays the occasional game of tennis. He used to ride a motorcycle (but admits he’s not doing that as much these days) and he’s an amateur photographer (his first job was taking head shots of actors and musicians).

Though he’s kept a low profile since taking the job at Warner, he’s already making a mark on operations. He’s promoted Courtenay Valenti, a studio veteran, to head production and development, and he brought back Kevin McCormick, a former top Warner executive, to serve as exec VP of production and as a senior adviser. By the fall, Emmerich wants to move the Warner Bros. animation division and DC Comics into a central location with the rest of the production team.

“Culture’s influenced a lot by architecture and the space that you’re in — how you physically bump into each other,” he says. “I like conversations a lot more than meetings. The closer people are and the more ebb and flow that there is, I think the better it is.”

DC may be commanding the bulk of his attention, but Emmerich is also looking beyond the Justice League. He’s confident in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the “Harry Potter” spinoff that made $814 million globally last year, anticipates four more “wizarding” films and believes that the series will build a bigger audience as it continues. He’s also bullish on “Jungle Book,” a long-gestating motion-capture version of the Rudyard Kipling stories that’s being directed by Andy Serkis, the actor behind Gollum in “LOTR.” Many in Hollywood have questioned the wisdom of moving forward with the film given Disney’s adaptation of the same material became a nearly $1 billion worldwide hit in 2016, but Emmerich says that Serkis’ vision is unique.

“I’m very curious how the world embraces it,” he says. “It is based on the same source material that the Disney movie is based on, but man, is it a different interpretation. If Rudyard Kipling saw this movie, he would more readily recognize it as an adaptation of his book.”

These days, most studios are making fewer films but placing bigger bets on movies about costumed vigilantes or big-screen versions of toy lines. Despite the production slowdown among its competitors, Warner intends to release a wide array of films. The plan is for the studio to back 18 to 22 titles a year, roughly double what Disney produces. Despite being burned on the likes of “King Arthur,” Emmerich believes that Warners must continue to be aggressive and take chances, knowing that big swings can sometimes lead to big misses. He’s also wary of prizing well-known brands above compelling stories.

“There are things that everybody’s heard of, like Kleenex tissues,” says Emmerich. “Everyone knows what it is, but I’m not looking to make the Kleenex movie. Just because they’ve heard of it doesn’t make it a good idea.”

I'm really looking forward to Serkis's adaptation of The Jungle Book. Favreau's version looked fairly pretty but lacked heart and depth and almost completely missed the feel and perspective of the original story. i was underwhelmed, at best. Favreau is a ham-handed director who obviously didn't understand or perceive the nuances of The Jungle Book, he makes Hollywood movies that audiences oohh and aaahh at at the "right" time, but there is nothing below the surface going on in his work as far as I can tell. Serkis is just the kind of guy to dig deeper into the characterization of non-human characters in order to fully tell the tale where "the law of the jungle" isn't some trite american hollywood idea but a wisdom and authority that comes from the LIFE of the jungle itself, and that is paramount if you are going to do a respectful, accurate adaptation of a work like The Jungle Book.

Kim Masters wrote:Toby Emmerich was announced as president of the Warner Bros. film studio in December, and Hollywood has been watching since with interest, not to say wariness, for signs of how he will run the place. Industry insiders are hoping some light will be shed June 22 when executives gather at the Montage Laguna Beach for an off-site retreat.

Emmerich, 54, has yet to greenlight a movie that truly bears his stamp. But sources say that first project will be The Goldfinch, an ambitious project based on the Donna Tartt novel, with John Crowley (Brooklyn) directing. That should stir some excitement. It may also soothe some who have business with Warners and who have been concerned that Emmerich could reveal plans for what one important producer calls the "New Line-ization" of the studio. That would mean on projects that don't fit into the Warners silos — Lego animated movies, Harry Potter spinoffs and D.C. Comics films — the studio would look to slash costs and avoid auteur directors who want final cut. There would be exceptions — notably Clint Eastwood and Chris Nolan.

Emmerich ran Warners' New Line label for eight years, overseeing such moderately budgeted hits as The Conjuring and We're The Millers, and was an executive there for many more. "Toby has a real strong loyalty to New Line," says one film agent. "Those are his boys that he's worked with for 20 years. He may be funneling more projects to New Line. He definitely knows New Line's development like the back of his hand." So far, he notes, Emmerich has yet to move out of his offices at New Line. (He has spent considerable time planning a reconfiguration of the Warners offices with the aim of creating more communal spaces but has yet to pull the trigger.)

But a source familiar with Emmerich's thinking says he not only hopes to foster a collegial spirit but to tackle the big questions hanging over the industry, such as whether there is a way to succeed at making movies outside the franchise tentpole world — romantic comedies, thrillers, Westerns, who knows? Further, this source says Emmerich was offered the opportunity to merge New Line with the Warners studio and passed because he prefers to keep pipelines representing different sensibilities. As for remaining in his old offices, this source says Emmerich had hoped to bring the various elements of the studio — animation, DC and live action — into closer proximity, but his original vision proved too costly to implement. A thriftier version attempting to achieve the same goal is in the works.

An executive with longstanding ties to Warners praises "the refreshing pragmatism and personality of Toby," but sees Emmerich placing his feet carefully because of the impending AT&T acquisition of Time Warner. With that $85.4 billion deal looming, this executive and others believes Warners chairman CEO Kevin Tsujihara is anxious about his own future and delegating more power to Emmerich than he did to the previous top film executive, Greg Silverman, in the hope that the studio's performance will improve and the new bosses will be placated.

Previously Tsujihara was "trying to be Barry Meyer and Alan Horn, rather than just being Barry Meyer," one veteran involved with Warners says. (This is an allusion to the previous regime, in which Meyer was chairman of Warners overseeing all its businesses and Horn was president, overseeing the film studio.) Still, Emmerich faces some constraints, such as the fact that Sue Kroll, the president of worldwide marketing and distribution, does not report to him. Whether that creates tension that must be addressed is a subject of speculation among Hollywood observers. (Industry sources say Kroll has been building her own relationship with AT&T global marketing officer Lori Lee recently.)

While the executive with ties to Warners thinks it is an overreaction to predict that Emmerich will preside over the total "New Line-ization" of the studio, he does expect some key elements of New Line culture to be incorporated: Budgets are likely to be slimmed down and final-cut directors may be avoided. He believes the studio can hold on to control of final cut and still hire A-list filmmakers. As for budgets, he says, "Outside the silos, there has been a big waste of money on projects that don't make sense." Under Emmerich's leadership, he adds, "they're not going to make a movie like The Judge with Robert Downey Jr. for $60 million. For $35 million — maybe."

Mike Fleming Jr wrote:EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros and DC are in the early stages of another Batman Universe spinoff movie, this one telling the origin story of the signature villain The Joker. The studio has set The Hangover‘s Todd Phillips to co-write a script with 8 Mile scribe Scott Silver. Phillips will direct the movie, and Martin Scorsese will produce it with Phillips. This will be the first film under a new banner that has yet to be named in which WB can expand the canon of DC properties and create unique storylines with different actors playing the iconic characters.

I’m told that the intention is to make an origin story that isn’t part of any other iteration. The Joker has memorably been part of two Batman movies in the form of Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger, and was most recently played by Jared Leto in the first Suicide Squad film. He will reprise in the Suicide Squad sequel and the Harley Quinn spinoff, but this new film will launch the character with a different actor, possibly younger.

An intriguing part is the setting. The intention is to make a gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-’80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or The King Of Comedy. I’m told that Phillips and Silver are writing already, but there is nothing firm on where this will fit into the DC schedule.

Phillips most recently directed War Dogs with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Silver’s recent script credits include The Fighter.

Phillips and Silver are repped by CAA, and Scorsese is repped by WME and LBI Entertainment’s Rick Yorn.

Graeme McMillan wrote:Warner Bros. is now developing filmmaker-driven projects that won't be connected to its larger shared universe, something that's been happening in the comics for decades.

While everyone — myself included — was distracted by the thought of a Joker origin movie, there was another piece of news in Tuesday's story that Todd Phillips is working on a movie about the Batman villain. Warner Bros. is creating a new label for movies featuring DC characters outside of its main shared universe.

The notion of a boutique DC films imprint that allows filmmakers to play with characters from the comic publisher without having to deal with the continuity (or cast) of other movies is certainly something that fits in with the history of the company, which has told stories outside of its central timeline for decades under a variety of conceits and publishing initiatives. How else to explain stories from the 1950s where Superman and Lois Lane were a married couple, from the 1970s where Superman and Batman's teenage sons tried — and, for the most part, failed — to be rebellious, or from the 1990s, where irresponsible superheroes almost caused the end of the world? (Well, okay, the Lois and Superman one was really just a dream; it'd happen for real in 1996, of course.)

Those comic book stories — and countless other "imaginary tales," Elseworld stories or whatever other branding they wore at the time — demonstrate the value in the idea of pulling characters outside the larger shared universe and giving them a chance to exist independently, following a particular artistic vision and being allowed the closure that would otherwise be denied them. As a concept in and of itself, there's a lot of potential in giving creators the chance to create their "own" versions of iconic characters and taking it as far as they want, as the ongoing success of Frank Miller's 1986 The Dark Knight Returns bears out.

That said, there's no denying that such a thing could be confusing to the audience as it's being rolled out. How can Warners correctly delineate which movies are part of the Justice League shared universe, and which ones aren't, to a potential market who isn't following online chatter about upcoming releases? Does such a thing even matter, or will viewers just think, "Oh, it's a different guy playing the Joker this time, that's cool"?

It could be argued that this confusion over what does and doesn't "count" as part of canon is in keeping with DC tradition. Unlike Marvel, which has made such an effort to tell audiences that everything happening on a screen is happening in the same fictional universe that it adopted the phrase "It's all connected" as a tagline, DC's onscreen efforts have been far more diffuse. Sure, Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl all cross over, but Gotham and other television shows are entirely disconnected. And the current Warner Bros. big-screen efforts are disconnected from the TV shows (whereas Marvel shows like Agents of SHIELD and Daredevil take place in the same universe as the movies). The Flash played by TV's Grant Gustin is a separate, but equal, version of the character as played by the film's Ezra Miller, just as Tyler Hoechlin's Superman isn't Henry Cavill's, and audiences seem to be able to keep that straight in their heads easily enough.

Perhaps that's because DC's comic book mythology has long played with the concept of multiple variations on the same character co-existing alongside each other. Justice League of America No. 21 — published in 1963, just seven years after editor Julius Schwartz reused the name and gimmick of 1940s hero the Flash for a new character — introduced the idea of a multiverse filled with alternate, parallel worlds, allowing for endless variations on an idea to be published depending on creator whims.

That such an idea would end up, decades later, so confusing for new readers — Which Earth did each comic take place on? What happened when creators forgot and misidentified worlds? — that an entirely separate comic would have to be created to simplify matters couldn't have been foreseen at the time, but should, perhaps, serve as a warning to Warner Bros. moving forward. The title of that comic, in fact, could be considered a sign of things to come if quality control and strong oversight aren't exercised on future movie projects, both inside and outside this new creator-led imprint: Crisis on Infinite Earths. Or, at least, "Crisis in multiple multiplexes."

Scott Mendelson wrote:It's hard to imagine Snyder's preferred version doing any worse at the global box office, and I imagine a lot of money might have been saved without reshoots and recuts, to say nothing of a better reception with more polished special effects. So instead of a $200 million+ Justice League struggling to top $650m worldwide, you've got an alleged $250-$300m Justice League struggling to top $650m worldwide. And yeah, as shocking as it is in hindsight, we have a situation where the studio threw Batman into the Man of Steel sequel and turned it into a backdoor Justice League pilot only to now have a Justice League that will probably make less than Man of Steel.

Brent Lang wrote:Warner Bros. is planning a shake-up and restructuring of its DC Films operation following the box office disappointment of “Justice League,” Variety has learned.

Jon Berg will be leaving his current job running the comic book’s film production division, according to several sources with knowledge of the studio’s plans. A search is underway for his replacement. Berg will instead become a production partner with Roy Lee, the producer of “The Lego Movie” and “It,” who has a deal on the lot.

“This is something that Jon approached me about six months ago, and he expressed his goal was to ultimately be a producer at the studio,” Warner Bros. Picture Group President Toby Emmerich said in a statement to Variety. “I first met Jon when, as a producer, he brought ‘Elf’ to New Line, which remains one of the best and most evergreen titles in the library. We’re thrilled that Jon is partnering with Roy and anticipate their company being a valuable source of movies for Warner Bros. and New Line.”

Warners is expected to name a new person to run point on DC’s films. Geoff Johns, who has partnered with Berg on much of the creative direction of the movies, is expected to continue serving as DC Entertainment’s chief creative officer. Johns, who reports to DC president Diane Nelson, works in areas such as television (and has written various episodes for DC-inspired shows), publishing, and consumer products, in addition to his contributions to the films. Going forward, his work on the films may evolve, and could be more advisory in nature.

These people also say that Emmerich is weighing the idea of further integrating DC’s film operations into the studio’s main movie arm. That would entail putting the divisions under the same roof rather than having DC remain in a separate building on the lot, sources say. Marvel, which is owned by Disney, does operate its comic book film division autonomously, but other studios, such as Fox and Sony, produce their superhero films under the studio’s banner.

The DC overhaul is expected to happen by January.

Warner Bros.’ corporate leaders at Time Warner support the moves and are said to be unhappy with the financial performance of “Justice League.” The film was intended to be DC’s answer to Marvel’s “Avengers,” uniting the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman under the banner of a team of world-saving superheroes. With a budget reported to be as high as $300 million, it represents an expensive bet. After three weeks of release, it has managed to gross $570.3 million worldwide. In contrast, the first “Avengers” film racked up $1.5 billion. The studio did have a number of successes this year with “Wonder Woman,” “Dunkirk,” and “It,” which has helped offset the disappointment of “Justice League.”

Berg and Johns were intimately involved in the production. Berg essentially decamped for the film’s London set, and both men have full producer credits on the picture, which would likely not be the case on future movies. “Justice League” suffered from a difficult birth. An early version, directed by Zack Snyder, alarmed studio executives with its dark tone. That had been the knock on Snyder’s two previous DC films, “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” After his daughter committed suicide, Snyder eventually left the production before it underwent costly re-shoots. Joss Whedon, who had been brought on the punch up the dialogue, took over directing, but studio brass recognized that so much footage had been shot already that there were limits to what could be done to improve the picture. Studio executives realized early on that Snyder’s decision to have Steppenwolf, a god-like, all-CGI creation, as the principal antagonist was faulty. In fact, many reviews were particularly harsh about Steppenwolf, criticizing the character for being one-note and the product of unconvincing visual effects.

There are no immediate plans for Snyder to direct another DC movie, though he is producing or executive producing several, including “Wonder Woman 2” and “Aquaman.” Warner Bros. continues to have a production deal with Snyder, so it’s possible he could direct additional films for the studio. Time Warner is said to be frustrated that Warner Bros. leaders continue to bring the director back, especially after “Batman v Superman” was excoriated by critics even though it made money. They are also upset that each new DC film seems to be making less money than its predecessor. Only “Wonder Woman,” with its optimistic heroine, managed to be both a critical and commercial success.

While Ben Affleck is expected to appear as Batman in a standalone Flash movie, it is highly unlikely he will don the cape and cowl in Matt Reeves’ planned standalone Batman movie. The director is said to want to cast the role with fresh talent, according to sources.

Warner Bros. believes that “Justice League” succeeded in one importantly respect: it effectively introduced Flash (a quippy speedster played by Ezra Miller) and Aquaman (the king of Atlantis, portrayed by Jason Momoa). A solo “Aquaman” is due out in 2018 and Warners is still developing a standalone Flash adventure. Going forward, Warner Bros. is planning a sequel to “Wonder Woman” that’s believed to be set in the Cold War, and New Line has greenlit a “Shazam” feature.

Brent Lang wrote:As part of a shakeup of its DC film operations, Warner Bros. is promoting Walter Hamada to oversee its comic book movies, Variety has learned. Insiders say that Hamada will essentially serve as president of production in charge of the DC movies. In December, the studio decided to replace Jon Berg and Geoff Johns as the heads of the DC movies. Berg became a production partner with Roy Lee, the producer of “The Lego Movie” and “It,” who has a deal on the lot. Johns remains at DC, but is taking on more of an advisory role.

The move comes as DC is looking for more quality control of its big screen efforts — the studio captured acclaim and box office bonanza with last summer’s “Wonder Woman,” but was savaged by critics for “Suicide Squad” and “Justice League.” There is widespread frustration over DC’s failure to match the popularity of Marvel movies.

Hamada previously served as a production executive at New Line, a division of Warner Bros. There, he helped shepherd such horror hits as “It” and “The Conjuring” to cinemas. The executive enjoys a close relationship with director James Wan, who is directing “Aquaman” for DC, and is credited with helping expand “The Conjuring” universe by making a well-received sequel to the movie, as well as spinoffs with the “Annabelle” series. He will be leaving New Line to work for Warners, and will also oversee any other types of comic book movies that the studio produces outside of the DC canon.

Last summer, Warner Bros. named Courtenay Valenti, best known for her work on the Harry Potter films, as president of production at Warner Bros. She will continue in that role, as will DC Entertainment chief Diane Nelson.

Before coming to New Line, Hamada was a producer and manager with H2F Entertainment. He began his career as an assistant at TriStar and eventually became VP of production for Columbia Pictures. He also ran development for MBST Entertainment.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Borys Kit wrote:Warner Bros. has found a new hero to spearhead the slate of movies based on the DC Entertainment characters.

Walter Hamada, one of the executives behind the massively successful The Conjuring horror movies made by Warner Bros.’s New Line division, has been named president, DC-based film production, Warner Bros.

The ascension takes place after the December departure of Jon Berg, Warner Bros.’s co-president of production who was the studio’s point man for its DC movies. Berg is now a partner at Vertigo, the production shingle run by producer Roy Lee.

Hamada will focus on Warners' slate of upcoming films bases on superheroes and villains, as well as titles based on other characters and other stories also licensed from DC. He will work closely with Geoff Johns, the president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment who worked side-by-side with Berg, while also drawing resources from both Warners and New Line.

Hamada is part of the duo known as “Team Genre” within the New Line corridors. With cohort Dave Neustadter, Hamada has overseen the company’s horror line, including the billion dollar-grossing and audience pleasing cinematic universe centered around the Conjuring movies. He and Neustadter also oversaw the horror phenomenon, It, based on the Stephen King novel.

Hamada already has a close relationship with Toby Emmerich, Warners’ president and chief content officer who previously headed New Line, and insiders say he impressed Emmerich with his overseeing of Shazam!, the lone DC cinematic universe movie with which the division finds itself involved. (The movie is due to begin production this winter.)

“Walter is creative, resourceful, and committed to excellence, and will bring those qualities to his oversight of our superhero films,” said Emmerich in a statement. “He’s a terrific production executive and served as an executive producer on two of the summer’s most popular films, New Line’s It and Annabelle: Creation. I’m confident Walter and Geoff, working with our filmmaking partners, will deliver films that will resonate with both broad global audiences as well as DC fanboys and fangirls. Walter’s a great addition to the Warner Bros. Pictures team, and I look forward to working with him in his new post.”

Hamada’s move comes at a precipitous moment for the studio's DC initiative. While Wonder Woman resonated with audience and critics, becoming a cultural phenomenon while grossing $821.8 million worldwide, the movie that was to have been a hero-gathering zenith, Justice League, fizzled. The latter, while grossing $651 million worldwide, did not leave audiences wanting more.

Warners finds itself at a crossroads as to where it should spend its development energies next while the coming year will only bring one DC movie to theatres: Aquaman, directed by Conjuring helmer James Wan, is due to open Dec. 21.